Pastor’s Pen: Let the light of Christ shine in the darkness

Although February is our shortest month, like January it seems to last forever. Time seems to quicken when we don’t want it to, but it drags when we wish it would pass more quickly, especially for those who find wintery roads difficult and icy pavements not only a challenge to manoeuvre but a hazard.

I know that February is not a favourite month for many people - often a somewhat dismal month after the excitement of advent and before the hope of spring and Easter, but really we need to rise up in February, for nature invites us to turn over the soil for a new garden year.

God invites us to new depths of relationship with Him. The daylight is beginning to increase as the darkness recedes, the snowdrops herald the hope that is to come - the hope that is the pinnacle of our faith - Christ’s passion, resurrection and ascension.

This morning, with temperatures still well sub zero, I was watching the dawn sky. There was a central point of light right in front of the house - the sky was clear icy blue and the clouds - some of them the trails from jets - were streaking across the sky meeting at a central point.

Suddenly there was a deep red fire on the horizon and the sun began to rise - it was spectacular.

The bright light which shone from the sun blazed a path across the water and pointed to a life-belt which hangs on the railings. The whole scenario said to me: “all roads point to the ‘son’ and the ‘son’ is our ‘saviour’ in troubled water.”

Let the light of Christ shine in your darker days in the knowledge that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5).

May God be with you and may He bless you richly on your journey of faith.